1999 Dodge Dakota

Sun Scream: Smooth it on with Don McDonald's 1999 Dakota R/T

Photography by Taylor Vlahos

Sport Truck, February 01, 2003

There is more to this solar-yellow street machine than you think. This Dakota R/T has some beef under the hood, some trick suspension under its skirt, and a little boom in the room, making one hell of hauler.

Don wanted his R/T to stand out from the pack and here's how he did it: The first thing Don started with was the stereo system. Patrick Venturi of Bananas Hi Fi in Fresno, California, designed the system and did the rough layout of the speaker enclosure and amp rack. Jose Reyes finished it up with the fiberglass and custom R/T paintwork. Don chose a Panasonic head unit, ARC amps, Rainbow front speakers, and Image Dynamics with Alluison Audio horns and ARC subs. An Accele 7-inch wide-screen monitor was molded into the dash so Don and his friends are entertained during the local sig-alerts. Sean Farley of Fresno hid the amp wires by soldering the connections to the boards. This makes Don's interior super-clean and uncluttered.

Keep staring. It takes a minute to figure out why Don's R/T looks so smoking-hot. The flawlessly molded body lines and flares give it a completely custom look, and the solar-yellow paint stings your eyeballs.

Keep staring. It takes a minute to figure out why Don's R/T looks so smoking-hot. The flaw

The next step on Don's list of mods was the exterior. A set of Street Scene Electric mirrors was bolted up along with a Stillen bumper cover and a Cervini's SS hood. The tailgate handle was relocated with a Sir Michaels relocator kit, and a Stockland Tonneau cover was thrown on the bed. He liked it so far, but he needed something unique that would captivate the crowds without being overly obvious or tacky. He found his answer in the gifted hands of Jose Reyes. Jose used fiberglass matte and resin to mold the bodyline and flares to give the truck a clean and finished look. Jose also fabricated a '70 Cuda-style metal roll pan and finished the rear along with a matching set of Cuda tips.

Hotchkis' suspension is no joke when it comes to handling, so unless you're in a Vette or a Viper, don't go challenge Don to any canyon racing. His lowered stance isn't just for good looks. Up front, a set of Hotchkis 2-inch coils and Bilstein shocks lower the R/T just enough to mean business, while the Power Slot brakes keep things under control. Out back, a set of Hotchkis 3-inch leaf springs and front and rear sway bars keep the tires planted and the truck solid. The wheels are the always-fashionable 17-inch stock Dakota R/T rims with Potenza RE730 255/50R17 rubber.

Last, but certainly not least, is the brutish 5.9L V-8 under the hood. Don slapped on an F&B 52mm TBI fuel-delivery system and a Mopar M-1 Intake. A K&N round 11x2 air cleaner improves the sucking, while the MBRP after-cat dual 2-1/2-inch exhaust system exhales the fumes. Out back, the limited-slip rearend holds a set of 3.92 gears to transfer all that torque and horsepower to the ground. The total package? Yup.

The kickass stereo system was fabricated by Patrick Venturi of Bananas Hi Fi in Fresno, California. Jose Reyes painted the R/T logos and did all of the fiberglass work. It sounds as good as it looks.

The kickass stereo system was fabricated by Patrick Venturi of Bananas Hi Fi in Fresno, Ca

Mmm... 360 cubic inches! One of the great things about Dakota R/Ts is the fat package under the hood. Nothing like good old V-8 power to send a growl and pack a punch.

Mmm... 360 cubic inches! One of the great things about Dakota R/Ts is the fat package unde

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